No: 140, 16 May 2018, Press Release Regarding The Decision Of The United States District Court For The Southern District Of New York

Republic Of Turkey Ministry Of Foreign Affairs 16.05.2018

Today (May 16th) the United States District Court for the Southern District
of New York sentenced Mehmet Hakan Atilla, the Deputy Director General of
Halkbank, despite being not guilty, to 32 months of imprisonment after an
entirely feigned process which is inconsistent with the principle of fair
trial.

By convicting a foreign government official, this court made an
unprecedented decision regarding the implementation of the U.S. sanctions
legislation.

The Court’s reliance on forged evidence and false statements fabricated by
the members of the Fetullahist Terrorist Organization, eradicated the
legitimacy of the trial. The credibility of the legal proceedings has
vanished completely.